THE famous barking cat of Blackburn has gone missing.

One-year-old Fred hit the headlines last year when council bosses amazingly confused him for a dog and said his barking was disturbing neighbours.

The black and white cat has not been seen since the start of the month and owner Maureen McKeown said today she would give anything to hear him purr, meow or even bark again.

She said: "All I want to know is if he is safe and warm and well. I'm really worried. He's a beautiful little family cat."

Maureen said there was a gas leak in her house at Hollins Bank Road and fears Fred may have smelled the danger and took off.

"I went through the door with my shopping and he flew past me. I didn't realise he had gone until I started shouting his name and he didn't appear. Whether he realised there had been a gas leak in the house and he doesn't know it's safe to come back I don't know."

Since he disappeared Maureen has put pictures of him on her windows and contacted friends and relatives to see if they have seen Fred, but to no avail.

She said: "A man said he's spotted him twice and apparently he's been seen on Wilson Street but there are so many black and white cats we don't know if it's him. Where I live is next to a busy road, it's terrifying to think what might have happened.

"If anybody's got him I hope they're looking after him. He's a good cat."

Anyone with any information can contact Maureen on 07930500316.